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South District Event - Miggiani Shield for Friendship
20th November 2005
This year’s activity for Miggiani
Shield for Friendship was held in Vittoriosa on 20th November
2005.
Four scouts from our troop took part. All scouts were divided
into groups of four from two different scout groups.
They had to go round various parts
of Vittoriosa, visiting different check points, namely First
Aid, IQ game, knotting and other scouting skills.
Fgura and Qrendi Scout Groups placed
first and are the holders of the Shield until the next event.
Group 5 – B’Buga and Xghajra Scout Group –
placed third. This activity was very well organized by the
leaders and we all had a great time.
  
 
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Weekend camp Zurrieq
14-15-16th October 2005
Fifteen scouts, four ventures, Ian
Azzopardi VSL, Josephine Gatt SL and Yanika Spiteri ASL
went for a weekend camp to Zurrieq campsite on 14-15-16th
October 2005. Jesmond Borg GSL joined our group for the
day on Saturday.
After pitching tents and settling in
on Friday, we had dinner and then went for a night hike.
Saturday was a very busy day. In the morning we walked to
Wied Babu, where our VSL and unit organized the abseiling
event. It was a very enjoyable activity, especially for
some of the scouts who abseiled for the first time. In the
afternoon, our scouts enjoyed a treasure hunt and games
with Zurrieq troop. Later on in the evening, they were reunited
to play wide games. Before retiring for the night, we gathered
around a small fire, did Scouts’ own and exchanged
a night snack.
Since this was the Joti/Jota weekend,
on Sunday morning, we joined the Zurrieq unit while they
were in contact with foreign scouts on the internet and
on the radio.
This was a memorable camp, since we
had the chance to do such different activities in one weekend.
  
  
  
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Air Show – 24th September 2005
Eight scouts and two ventures acted
as ushers during Airshow on Saturday 24th September 2005.
Although part of our community service,
this was also a good opportunity for our members to see
close up such magnificent aeroplanes. They also had the
time to meet some of the pilots, who gave out leaflets and
posters of the different aircrafts.
The weather was very warm and windy,
and our scouts had a tiring day rerouting the cars to their
parking place. But overall it was a new and satisfying experience.
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Sailing – 5th September 2005
On 5th September 2005, eleven scouts,
four ventures, Ian Azzopardi VSL and Josephine Gatt SL went
sailing with Viking Sailing Club – Valletta.
After a brief lecture by one of the
organizers about the parts/functions of a sailing boat,
we were divided into two groups and with the help of our
instructors sailed up to Ghar id-Dud, Sliema and back. Unfortunately,
the slight breeze stopped and we had to be towed back to
shore.
We all enjoyed this activity which
although our first will surely not be our last.
  
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Weekend camp at IHQ – Floriana
13-14-15th May 2005
Eleven scouts, Jesmond Borg GSL and
Josephine Gatt SL attended weekend camp at IHQ-Floriana
on 13-14-15th May 2005. Omar Livori ACSL also came to help
us pitch tents.
As part of their camp cook badge, scouts
by patrol prepared and cooked all meals/desserts during
this camp.
On Saturday morning, we went for a
visit to the Police Museum at the Police GHQ-Floriana, which
proved to be very interesting. In the afternoon the troop
were off to a Treasure hunt along the streets of our capital
city, Valletta.
During this camp, we also had the opportunity
to do some pioneering work, several new games, a night hike
and attended Sunday mass.
All too soon it was Sunday afternoon
and time to go back home. After we struck tents, gathered
all our equipment and cleaned all areas, we left campsite,
happy that another weekend activity had been such a success.
  
  
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South District Patrol Leaders Camp (SDPLC)
– 16/17/18th September 2005
As the name
implies, the SDPLC is an activity organised every year for
patrol and assistant patrol leaders of the South District
scout groups. Seven groups took part this year and we were
77 persons in all. Our group constituted of 8 scouts and
2 junior leaders. The camp was held at the Rinella South
District camp site. As soon as we arrived at camp on Friday
afternoon we started pitching our tents and we settled in.
The scouts were then split up in separate patrols under
the guidance of two junior leaders per patrol. We had dinner
together and performed our duties. We played volleyball
and made a sinnet bracelet using dyed rope. Late at night
we had a treasure hunt which was quite challenging and fun!
On Saturday morning we woke up around
7am, did flag break and prayers. Breakfast and duties followed.
Each group was then assigned to do a pioneering project
and everyone came out with some creative tasks. A catapult,
table with chairs, shoe rack and other projects were created.
It was already noon when these projects came to a halt,
and as instructed by our camp chief we prepared our cooking
sites. Meat, sausages and potatoes were on the menu…….yummy!!!!
Rest time came next which was needed
to build some energy since we had a scout rally in the afternoon
with various check points. This took place in the vicinity
of our campsite, around the Kalkara area. When we got back
to campsite, we got ready for mass. We had dinner, did our
duties and then prepared for campfire. Although it started
to sprinkle, this didn’t stop our campfire. Three
of our scouts were MOC and it was quite entertaining. Lights
out pursued.
On Sunday after flag break, English
breakfast was on the menu and everyone seemed delighted!!!
Duties were performed and it was time to strike our tents.
When all the tents were ready, Mr Martin Bonnici, our District
Commissioner requested a general clean up of the campsite
area. We all rolled up our sleeves and went to work. There
were so many hands that in an hour’s time we succeeded
to do all the required jobs. Evaluation time followed and
soon it was time to say goodbye to our new friends.
The most positive thing about this
camp is that besides interacting with other fellow scouts,
we also get to share ideas and creativity but best of all,
we had plenty of FUN!!!!
Written
by:
Valentina Desira and Christian Carabott
   
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Journey 8/9th October 2005
The purpose of this journey was to
achieve part of the scout advanced standard badge. The route
for this journey was from Rabat to Birzebbugia stopping
for the night at Wied Babu in Zurrieq. The group consisted
of three leaders Ian Azzopardi VSL, Josephine Gatt SL and
Yanika Spiteri ASL, Ventures Corinne Gatt, Josef Mizzi,
William Hicklin and Wayne Deguara, and most important us
scouts James Attard, Reuben Gatt and Ryan Church. We all
met at our hq Master’s Gunners House at around 0730
and a minibus picked us up and we headed to Rabat. After
taking the necessary bearings and confirming we were in
the right direction to start, we starting walking towards
Buskett and passed Dingli Cliffs. We continued walking and
we passed by Gebel Ciantar and a site called ix-Xaqqa. At
around noon we arrived at Ghar Lapsi where we had lunch.
Some of us even managed to take a nap!!
We then headed towards Zurrieq since
that was our stop for the day. This was the toughest part
of the journey since we walked on cliffs and rough rocks,
but it was adventurous. We came to a stop and reached Hamrija
Tower where a rest was definitely needed!! We continued
walking and another landmark we passed was Hagar Qim. It
was already 5pm when we reached our destination, Wied Babu.
We pitched our tents and collected the necessary firewood,
whilst the Unit prepared the site for a small campfire.
We cooked our own dinner on stoves and lighted our fire,
and our desert was served, marshmallows on sticks! We were
all pretty tired by then and went to bed zzzzzzzzzz.
Early morning came and our VSL woke
us up with the aroma of his coffee, as usual. We put some
bacon on what remained on our fire and had breakfast. We
packed our belongings and struck down our tents. A clean
up of the area was also done. Once again we took the bearings
and left the site at about 8am, heading to Birzebbuga through
Zurrieq. We passed near the Xarolla Windmill and through
Hal-Far. At around noon we arrived back at our Headquarters.
We were all pretty exhausted but we had a great time.
Written
by:
Ryan Church and James Attard
  
 
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23/04 - 24/04 Sleepover
at Gunners' House
On Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th April
we had a sleepover activity at our new headquarters Gunners’
House. We met our GSL Jesmond Borg and SL Josephine Gatt
at 1400 hours where immediately we did the flag break and
SL explained briefly the programme we had to follow. We
started off with the usual troop meeting, wherein we divided
into two separate patrols, one patrol discussing the scout
badge for the new scouts who joined us from the cubs section
in March and the other patrol revising some items from their
scout standard.
Afterwards we were given different
tasks for a general clean up of our premises. Here the scouts
all rolled up their sleeves and got busy as a bee!! You
could see scouts in all the rooms – cleaning windows,
sweeping the floors, dusting the furniture in the scouters’
room and lastly washing the floors.
During the afternoon Mr Martin Bonnici,
South District Commissioner also paid us a visit to speak
to our leaders and see how the work in our hq is going on.
When the cleaning was ready, break
time was next – biscuits and hot chocolate for all.
While some of us played prisioners outside, the others started
preparing the potatoes, eggs and salads for dinner, under
the ever watchful eyes of our SL. Outside the BBQ started
and soon we were having our meal with drinks, melon and
chocolates. Dinner duties followed and we went for a short
walk (time was galloping by) to Wied ix-Xoqqa. Lights out
at 12pm.
In the morning, we had breakfast, packed
our equipment and met for Patrol Leaders’ Council.
We played some games and after Flag down, we returned home
at around 10 am, tired but happy that we had done a good
turn!!
Written By:
Reuben Gatt and James Attard – Senior Patrol Leaders
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28/03 - 02/04 Easter
Annual Camp - Rinella
This years’ Easter Camp was held
at Rinella South District Centre from the 28th March until
2nd April 2005. Sixteen scouts attended, amongst whom six
link badge cubs who joined us for their first activity within
the troop. We were divided into two patrols: Owl and Stag
Patrol.
Our programme covered lectures and discussions on Inspection,
knotting and compass and mapping, as well as world conservation.
Practical sessions included the making of a wooden bird
house, pitching of tents, pioneering gadgets and sinnet
(woggle). We did the athletes and observer badges. We joined
our council members in the kitchen to help cook some of
our meals, especially the preparation of vegetables, stews
and lasagna. Last and not least our treasure hunt to Vittoriosa
was both informative and challenging. We had great fun and
we learned a lot of interesting history facts on Vittoriosa.
It was indeed a memorable camping for all of us!!
Written
By:
Valentina Desira, David Abdilla and Daniel Stirling
      
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February'05 First
Aid Course
For three consecutive Friday evenings
in January and February 2005, eleven scouts met Red Cross
First Aider Mr Kevin Gauci to do our First Aid Course.
The course covered action during emergency, recovery position,
burns and scalds, usage of triangular bandages, slings,
head, foot and arm bandages as well as CPR. We had some
amusing moments too, especially when we were practicing
CPR on Annie (the dummy).
During the last evening Mr Gauci brought over his laptop
and showed us how to use one of his programmes in order
to revise all the lectures we covered. Everyone had the
chance to work on some good examples of casualties and how
to treat them.
This was an intensive First Aid Course, which we found very
interesting and which we thoroughly enjoyed. Finally we
were presented with the Red Cross card as well as the Scouts’
Ambulance badge for our interest and efforts.
Written
By:
Ryan Church, Hagen Azzopardi, Andre Gafa’ and Antoine
Mercieca
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13/01 - 15/01 Weekend
Camp Qala - Gozo
On the 14-15-16th January 2005, we
went for a weekend camp in a hostel in Qala-Gozo. Apart
from the usual scouting programme and lectures, our SL took
us for a cultural visit, hike and prepared a treasure hunt
in Qala.
We visited Ghar Ninu and Xerri’s
Grotto, which are both underneath private residences. They
are stalactite and stalagmite caves discovered in the village
of Xaghra in the 19th century.
We hiked from Qala to Hondoq ir-Rummien
through footpaths in the countryside, along the coast, all
the way to Mgarr and back to Qala.
The treasure hunt took us to the four
corners of this quiet village, where we had the opportunity
to talk to the local people, especially the Parish Priest,
who was very willing to help us solve some of our clues.
Our patrol enjoyed this camping with
a difference and would gladly repeat the experience!!
Written By:
Susan Hicklin, Abigail Gafa’, Karl Cilia and Christian
Carabott
Members of Tiger Patrol
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